Hamilton Babe Ruth 13s take care of Hightstown-East Windsor

TRENTON — Scoring runs hasn’t been a problem for the Hamilton Babe Ruth 13-Year-Old All-Star team in the Southern New Jersey District One tournament.

The Switlik Park boys put it all together yesterday in a 13-3, six-inning 10-run-rule win over Hightstown-East Windsor, getting outstanding pitching from T.J. McKenzie and solid defense behind him.

Hamilton will meet Monmouth, a 13-0 five-inning winner over Western Monmouth in last night’s second game at the Trenton Babe Ruth field, in another elimination-bracket game tomorrow at 8:30 p.m.

Nottingham and Trenton will meet tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the winners’ bracket final after the tournament takes a day off today.

Hamilton, which lost its first game to Montgomery 10-9 before rebounding with a 10-8 win over Hopewell Valley, is trying to take inspiration from last year’s 14-Year-Old All-Star team, which lost its first game and came all the way through the elimination bracket to win the district.

“Before the second game, we had Ryan Mostrangeli’s older brother Dan, who plays for the 15s, talk to the kids,” Hamilton manager Hiram Cartagena said. “We just want to follow that recipe. They’ve got two great coaches in the Moceris over there for that team, so we’re just trying to replicate them.”

Hamilton tipped the game in its favor early, sending 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, drawing three walks and two more reaching on errors. Jake Beyer, who was 2-for-3 while also drawing an intentional walk, tripled to start the downpour and had the inning’s only hit.

“Jake coming on was big,” Cartagena said. “He just found it all today, brought it all together. Everything he hit was a pill.”

By the time it was over, Hamilton had a 6-1 lead, and it wasn’t the team’s last crooked number.

The bottom of the fourth saw Hamilton score four runs by sending eight batters up, with two drawing walks and another reaching on an error, one of four miscues for Hightstown on the night. Ray Anderson had a bases-clearing double in the frame, putting Hamilton one run away from a five-inning run-rule win at 12-3.

It didn’t matter much who was on the hill for Hightstown, as none of the three pitchers emerged without giving up a run. Steve Brookwell, who was roughed up in the first inning, took the loss.

Meanwhile, McKenzie was only getting better. He retired the last nine batters he faced after a leadoff single to Connor Stroz in the fourth, one of five hits he allowed. McKenzie struck out four and walked just two.

Montgomery sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run second inning and put the game into run-rule territory with a 10-batter fifth inning that added five more runs. Montgomery touched all three Western Monmouth pitchers for their 13 runs, tagging starter Nick Stefanchik for six of them and the loss.

Matt Ryan gave up two hits in three innings of work to get the win for Montgomery, while Vikram Avancha closed it out by throwing two hitless innings. Joey LaVake and Ryan were both 3-for-4 at the plate.